Sport in Psychiatric Rehabilitation: A Tool in Pre-Acute, Post-Acute and Chronic Phase

Abstract

The principal goal of psychiatric rehabilitation is to improve the global functioning of a person who suffer from a mental disorder. New emerging groups of patients meet difficult to attend to a rehabilitation program. Sport represents a new flexible model that can be used in psychiatric rehabilitation. Sport improves physical health and well being, increases sociality, increases self-efficacy and self-esteem. It is well accepted and well tolerated by the patients, too. Its use goes over the chronic phase of illness (typical target of rehabilitation) and it extends to the post-acute and pre acute phase, too.